Once-a-Day Calf Feeding: How Probiotics Boost Heifer Growth
Matt Collier, Probiotic Revolution, says calves will drink a lot of milk once-a-day with their probiotic Calf Xtreme.
Synlait Milk has posted a $19.6 million net profit after tax for the year ending July 2014, up 70% on the previous year.
The Canterbury milk processor's revenue reached $600m, an increase of 43% on the $420m the previous year.
Synlait Milk chairman Graeme Milne said he is pleased with the result and the continued growth of the business in its sixth year of operation.
"Our focus during the year has been to deliver on the promises we made to shareholders when we listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange in 2013. Profitability was on target with our PFI, driven largely by a favourable product mix that enabled the business to make the most from the period of very high world market prices."
However, achieving targeted premiums and gross margin for specialised ingredients at a time when world market prices were high proved challenging.
Milne says along with the development of our nutritionals business being set back by regulatory change in the important Chinese market, it meant the profitability advantages over and above PFI we experienced in the first half of the year were largely eliminated.
"Over what has been a challenging year, the progress we have made with our key customers continues to give us confidence in our future. The ongoing execution of our growth initiatives to ensure the development of our infant formula and nutritionals business supports these customers is a key focus going forward," says Milne.
Synlait Milk's growth initiatives, including a 22,500m2 drystore expansion, lactoferrin extraction and purification plant and blending and consumer packaging plant were completed during the year.
Construction has begun on a new administration office and quality assurance laboratory, as well as a third large scale infant formula capable dryer, due to be completed in September 2015.
Most dairy regions around the country have had a pretty good season so far says Tracy Brown.
Rural leader Mark Hooper has been appointed as an independent director to the NZPork board, bringing extensive farming, governance and advocacy experience to the role.
Opportunity says its land value tax (LVT) is unlikely to force farmers into a position where asset sales or increased debt are required.
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